Such a joint lock serves, for example, for the securing of a two-wheeler to a bicycle stand, to a lamppost or the like. For this purpose, the joint bars of the joint bar hoop which are pivotally connected to one another behind one another or in a row are folded apart and the locking bar, which forms the free end of the joint bar hoop, is locked to the lock body in order hereby to form a closed loop. This closed loop can, for example, engage around a frame section of the two-wheeler and the bicycle stand, lamppost or the like, or the joint bar hoop only surrounds a rim of the two-wheeler to prevent unauthorized persons from riding away.
The joint bars can be folded together to form a compact arrangement by the authorized user for the transport of the joint lock, with it in particular being possible also to lock the locking bar in the lock body in the folded together state of the joint bar hoop, with the joint bar hoop maintaining the folded together shape. To bring the joint bar hoop into the folded together shape, it is known to pivot the joint bars in the manner of a folding yardstick and hereby to bring it into a parallel alignment.
A disadvantage of the known joint locks comprises the fact that the latch has to be moved into the release position by means of the lock cylinder and the matching key in order to introduce the locking bar into the introduction opening of the lock body. The latch subsequently has to be brought into the locking position by means of the key to lock the locking bar in the lock body. Both the introduction of the locking bar into the lock body and the locking of the locking bar in the lock body thus require a manual operation.